update on social software for business

Filed in archive Technology on August 5, 2003

Techdirt elaborates on the reluctance to use social software in businesses (like LinkedIN). They stress the argument that there is a smaller incentive for established networks for bringing contacts into the software. This is even more true in Europe, relies more on very stable, less changing business networks.

It also points to a new way of identifying relevant contacts two new companies are following on:

"The software from Visible Path and Spoke meticulously scans computers to hunt for contact information in electronic calendars and address books. It tallies whom the users have e-mailed and how long it took for the recipients to respond."

This is a nice idea but it's just a very basic recommendation, as most social software does not offer a 'layered' relationship, making imminent invitations very sensitive.

Even further goes the Tacit

" 'I think something really big is about to unfold here,' said David Gilmour, founder of Tacit Knowledge Systems Inc., which scans corporate networks to determine who knows what, based on the e-mails they write."

This comes as the ultimate intrusion into privacy, but it has to be considered that in today's organization most knowledge is in email folders, poorly archived and maintained. Users still shy away from CMS systems (even Blogs) and prefer email. It would be an immense help, if the content will be reusable and accessible by others then the sender and recipient.